Alexandre Pato will retire in 2023 but is reportedly interested in taking over after watching League Two side Colchester United on Saturday.
Alexandre Pato retired from football three years ago (Image: Kym Illman/Getty Images)
Alexandre Pato has negotiated a deal to buy League Two side Colchester United. The former Brazil international visited the club over the weekend to discuss a potential takeover with U’s owner and chairman Robbie Cowling.
Pato has won 27 caps for Brazil and is best known in Europe for his six-year spell with AC Milan, who won Serie A in the 2010/11 season. He also played for Brazilian clubs Internacional, Corinthians and São Paulo, as well as Villarreal, Orlando City and Chelsea, including a short loan spell in 2016.
The 36-year-old forward retired three years ago and could take ownership. The Daily Gazette reports that Pato was a guest of Cowling, who are seeking to sell the club, on Saturday as they watched Colchester beat Fleetwood Town 2-1. He has held initial discussions with Cowling, but it is currently unclear what the investment will be.
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Mr Cowling has announced his intention to step down after nearly 20 years as owner and chairman of Colchester. Plans to buy the company from U.S.-based Lightwell Sports Group, led by American businessman Tim Foley, collapsed last summer, but efforts continue.
The club is working with American consultant Mitchell B. Reese to find a buyer. Cowling said last year. “As I’ve said before, I want my final decision at the club to be the absolute best decision for me, and it’s up to whom I entrust it to.
“I think it’s going to take some time. We’ve got to make sure we find the right people to take this football club and take it to the next level.”
Alexandre Pato is best known for his time at AC Milan (Image: Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
After retiring, Pato entered the media and works as a commentator and pundit, but recently he has also been focusing on networking, such as attending the FIFA Club Management Summit. Surprisingly, he would not be the first high-profile player to invest in the club after Luka Modric became involved in Swansea City’s ownership.
Colchester’s win over Fleetwood on Saturday leaves them eighth in League Two, three points out of the play-off places. They remain unbeaten in their last six games with four wins and two draws, and are aiming for promotion to League 2 for the 10th consecutive season.
After the win over Fleetwood, manager Danny Cowley said: “There’s a lot of challenges leading up to the game, but also during the game. So I think it’s a credit to the group’s resilience and determination to find a way to win.”
“We can’t think about anything other than the game here and now. We’re trying to live in the moment and focus on what’s in front of us.”
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